A win, defeat and draw for MVG in Premier League
Wim Blokpoel - Night 3, 4 and 5 of the 2021 Premier League Darts all gave a different result for Dutch legend Michael van Gerwen.
Night 3:
Wednesday night, on night three, van Gerwen faced former World Champion Rob Cross, who van Gerwen has won against a lot of times before (Except of course that semi-final at the 2018 Worlds). Both men started with 15-darters to make it 1-1. Van Gerwen decided that this was a poor level, and threw a 14 and 12-darter back to back to take a 3-1 lead. This 2 leg lead stayed at 4-2, and with a brilliant 11-darter from Cross and a 14-darter from MVG it became 5-3. Van Gerwen then managed to get his first point, and a leg later it even were two points as a 12-darter to finish gave MVG a 7-3 win! Every leg in this game was won in 15 darts or less, what a brilliant contest!
Michael van Gerwen 7-3 Rob Cross
Averages:
Van Gerwen: 107.5
Cross: 97.8
Thursday on night four, Michael van Gerwen played former Premier League champion, and late replacement for Gerwyn Price, James Wade. It started 1-1, but then MVG failed to break throw in 15 darts, and a leg later even didn’t manage to hold throw in 18 darts as he got 1-3 down. A 14 and 15-darter made it 2-4 for James Wade. Wade then had a 12-darter with Van Gerwen way back on 264 as it was 5-2 for Wade and Van Gerwen was in serious danger. After a hold of throw (3-5) Van Gerwen didn’t come close to break again and the first point was for Wade. The leg where MVG had to hold throw went terribly wrong as well, as he didn’t manage to hold throw in 18 darts for the second time in the match, and Wade earned the second point of the match: 7-3 for Wade.
Michael van Gerwen - James Wade 3-7
Averages:
Van Gerwen: 90.9
Wade: 95.7
So a good performance followed by a bad performance, and we got into fridsy night, which was night five and the final night before a long break. Van Gerwen faced former UK Open Champion Nathan Aspinall. Aspinall hit a 12-darter and 13-darter in his own legs, but Van Gerwen won his own legs as well as it was 2-2 after 4. Van Gerwen then woke up with a 15- and 13-darter for a 4-2 lead. An 11- and 14-darter for Aspinall afterwards made it back to 4-4 though as it could still go any way. Both men threw another great leg and it was 5-5. Who would get the first point? It was Michael van Gerwen, with a 15-dart hold to go 6-5 up! Then in Aspinall’s leg MVG got one matchdart on Double 20 but he missed it and Aspinall earned the other point in a 6-6 draw. In the end van Gerwen now has won 2 matches, a draw in 2 matches and lost 1 match to get on 6 points and is number four in the Premier League. With 4 nights to go you woukd think he is safe, although he is only 2 points below number 9 José de Sousa. So it’s incredibly close and on monday 19 april the Premier League continues again as MVG takes on defending Premier League Champion Glen Durrant.
Michael van Gerwen 6-6 Nathan Aspinall
Averages:
Van Gerwen: 99.7
Aspinall: 105.3
